Finding the ideal wood-burning stove for your house can be a difficult undertaking. So many stove models to pick from, each with its own unique set of specifications and characteristics, including size, design, features, and heat output.
Several considerations had to be made before we purchased a wood-burning stove and a multi-fuel stove a few years ago. There are a few things you should keep in mind when shopping for a wood-burning stove.
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When shopping for a wood stove, these are the most important features to consider:
- Wood burning, multi fuel or pellet stove
- A wood, pellet, or multi-fuel stove
- Efficiency
- Products that have been approved by either the EPA or the DEFRA
- Non-catalytic & catalytic processes
- Airwash
- Affordability
- The second stage of combustible material
- Ash can
- Blower
In the paragraphs that follow, I go into greater detail on what to look for when shopping for a wood stove and how we came to choose our particular model, as well as why we like it so much.
What To Look For When Buying A Wood Burning Stove
1) Wood Burning, Multi Fuel Or Pellet Stove
Stoves can be classified as “wood burning” in three distinct ways, depending on your preferences, the fuel types and costs available to you where you live, as well as the types of fuels you intend to burn.
- A stove that uses wood
- A stove that can run on a variety of fuels.
- Burning Wood in a Pellet Stove
Wood Burning Stove
If you just want to use wood in your home and are searching for convenience, consider purchasing a wood-burning stove.
Our own wood-burning stove can be seen here:
Because wood burning stoves are made to burn solely wood, they can’t be used to burn other fuels like coal efficiently.
The controls on a wood-burning stove (the air vents) are simpler than the controls on a multi-fuel stove because they are designed to solely burn wood (which allows you to burn types of fuel other than wood).
Our wood stove only has one controlled air vent, which means that we only need to use one lever to manage the entire fire, unlike many other wood burning stoves. As a result, we have found that starting and sustaining a fire in your wood stove is a little less difficult.
If you’re seeking for a wood burning stove with only one air vent that you can control, you’ve found it. When purchasing a wood stove, there is a trade-off to be made between the ease of using two air vents and the other considerations.
A wood-burning stove that can be converted to burn other forms of solid fuel may be an option for you even if you don’t plan on doing so in the near term.
An additional air vent and ash pan can be added to our wood-burning stove by installing a multi-fuel conversion kit that replaces the base of the stove.
If you plan to use a wood-burning stove in the future, but also plan to use other types of fuel, search for a wood-burning stove that can be converted to multifuel.
Multi Fuel Stove
In order to be able to utilize additional fuels besides wood, such coal, consider purchasing a multi fuel stove.
Normally, we just use wood in our multi-fuel stove, but because of the way it’s built up, we may also use coal.
Wood stoves are designed to supply air from the top in order to ensure that it burns efficiently.
Multi-fuel stoves can accommodate the burning of both coal and wood by allowing you to adjust the airflow so that it comes from either above or below the fire.
In appearance, multifuel stoves resemble wood-burning stoves, but they differ slightly in that they can burn a variety of fuels:
- There is no flat area at the bottom of the firebox; there is a metal grate.
- A pull-out ash tray in the ash pan compartment.
- The ash pan compartment has an additional air vent to supply fresh air to the area below the fire.
You can see the main differences between multi fuel stoves and wood burning stoves in more detail here.
See the differences between multifuel and wood-burning stoves more clearly by clicking here.
There are some differences between wood-burning stoves and multi-fuel stoves, therefore I’ve gone into greater detail here and included illustrations to clarify the differences.
Pellet Stove
Pellet stoves are an option if you choose to use pellets instead of wood or coal.
To maintain a continual supply of heat, pellets are fed to the fire in a pellet stove using a hopper system. Pellet stoves are primarily constructed of wood, but other pellet fuels are available.
Although some pellet stoves are battery driven, most require a mains electric source to work.
In this article, I’ve covered the most important aspects of pellet stoves.
2) Freestanding Or Insert
We used our existing fireplace openings to house our freestanding wood burning and multi-fuel stoves, but a fireplace insert would have filled the entire opening.
An insert stove functions like a standalone stove, except that it must be installed in a fireplace that already exists. With a freestanding stove, you don’t have to position it in the middle of your fireplace if you don’t want to.
The options for fireplace inserts are considerably more varied, so you can select one that is one of the following:
- Wood,
- It’s plugged in.
- Gas.
Compared to an open fireplace, a freestanding stove or a fireplace insert will be more efficient in heating your home.
3) Steel Or Cast Iron Body
One of the most common materials for wood-burning stoves is cast iron or steel. Both are excellent heat conductors, making them ideal for use in stoves, although they release heat in slightly different ways.
With a steel wood stove, you’ll get the heat into your room faster, but it won’t last as long. However, even after the fire is out, cast iron stoves continue to radiate heat for an extended amount of time, even though they take longer to heat up.
As a result, you’ll be able to find a wider variety of cast iron stoves because they are cast in one piece. Steel stoves provide a more contemporary and sleek appearance.
As a general rule, steel stoves are less expensive than cast iron ones since they are easier to produce.
Despite the fact that the door of our multifuel stove is cast iron, our wood burning stove is constructed entirely of steel.
When shopping for a wood stove, consider whether you want a steel or cast iron body depending on the type of heat output, pricing, and design you desire. When it comes to wood-burning efficiency, both types of stoves can be quite effective.
4) Size & Heat Output
Make sure you choose a wood stove that is the proper size for your home while you’re shopping for one.
In order to avoid overheating your stove, you should buy a stove that is large enough for the amount of space it will be heating.
If the air vents are wide open when you’re trying to heat the area, a hot stove can burn up the wood too quickly to be efficient. Damage from overfiring, where components crack or warp owing to temperatures they weren’t intended to reach, can also occur in a stove that is consistently running too hot.
When a stove is too large for the space it’s heating, it’s likely that it will go unused and underperform.
It is possible that the wood stove may not be able to attain optimal operating temperatures if its fire is too tiny for the stove’s size. This is what our stove thermometer shows when a stove isn’t working properly: increased creosote (tar) and smoke.
When shopping for a wood-burning stove, it is crucial to consider the stove’s size and heat output.
The size and heat output of a wood-burning stove in your home will rely on the following factors:
- Measure the area you intend to heat before purchasing a heater.
- If your current fireplace is large enough to offer the required offset distances, this should be considered.
- How well-insulated and airtight your house is.
5) Efficiency
You can tell how efficient a wood-burning stove is by looking at its official efficiency rating. Stoves with greater efficiency ratings are better at maximizing the amount of heat they can generate from each piece of wood.
An efficient stove means that less heat is lost through the vent.
While a wood burning stove with a higher efficiency rating may burn wood more efficiently, you can expect to pay more for one.
As long as you can’t tell the difference between a few percentage points, anything beyond 70% efficiency is OK. 78.9% of the time, our wood burning stove is highly effective at keeping our living room warm.
On May 15, 2020, the new EPA regulations will take effect, requiring wood stoves to emit no more than 2.0g/h of smoke.
6) Certified (Or Approved) Stoves
If you want peace of mind that your wood stove won’t have a negative impact on the environment, opt for an EPA-approved model. Since less firewood is needed to produce as much heat as possible, modern and certified stoves emit almost no smoke, and they also burn the wood efficiently, which results in less ash being deposited and more heat being produced.
When seeking to buy a wood-burning stove, it’s good to know that the stove has been certified by the EPA to be efficient.
You may check out the full list of EPA-approved wood stoves here for additional information.
EPA Approved stoves that satisfy the 2020 smoke emission standard of 2.0g/h should be on your radar.
Stoves in the United Kingdom are subject to regulation by the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). If you reside in a Smoke Control Area, which can be found in many large cities and towns, you’ll need a stove that has been authorized by DEFRA.
While many wood stoves are already DEFRA-approved, if you reside in an area with a Smoke Control Zone, make sure to opt for a DEFA-approved appliance.
Here, I’ve gone into greater depth about DEFRA Approved stoves, demonstrating how and why our stoves are such.
7) Catalytic & Non-Catalytic
However, due of the additional complexity they impose on the fire, wood burning stoves with catalytic combustion tend to be found only on more expensive models.
There are many non-catalytic wood stoves. Through mechanisms like secondary combustion, these stoves are still capable of delivering great efficiency and heat outputs (more about secondary in another one of our articles here). To burn wood efficiently, most stoves employ a mix of firebox, baffle, and tertiary air inlets (which is how our own wood stove works.)
When using a wood-burning stove with a catalytic combustion system, the smoke must first pass through a catalyst. A honeycomb-like structure aids in the removal of waste smoke and particles, resulting in a more efficient burn. The negative is that the element must be replaced on a regular basis to guarantee that the stove is working properly. Catalytic stoves, on the other hand, necessitate more effort on your part to get the most out of.
When purchasing a wood-burning stove, you should consider whether or not you want to generate the cleanest burn possible by using a catalytic stove at the expense of a more expensive stove and maintenance requirements.
Catalytic and noncatalytic stoves are explained in greater detail on the EPA website.
8) Airwash
You should opt for a wood stove that has an airwash system built into it if you want to keep the glass door of your stove clean.
The airwash mechanism in wood stoves is described here, but in essence, airwash works by forcing air down the inside of the glass to keep particulates from adhering to it and blocking the view of the fire.
We have both a wood-burning stove and a multi-fuel stove equipped with airwash. Glass cleaning products aren’t necessary for lengthy lengths of time even if one appears to work better than the other.
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Look for a wood-burning stove with an airwash system if you want your glass to remain clean during each fire.
9) Ease Of Use
A wood-burning stove’s air vents are the primary means of controlling a blaze.
A wood burning stove that is easy to use should have a single controlled air vent rather than two or more, since this will make the stove easier to use.
Only one air vent can be found on the bottom of our wood stove with a control handle that protrudes from the front. There are two sets of vents in the firebox: one regulates the supply of primary air, the other the supply of secondary air (more about the types of airflow in stoves here).
10) Secondary Combustion
Burning off waste gases from the fire to generate even more heat is known as secondary combustion, also known as secondary burn. Secondary combustion is aided by the addition of fresh air to the stove above the fire.
It’s important to seek for the word “secondary burn” when purchasing a wood-burning stove in order to verify that you’re receiving an effective appliance for your home.
11) Ash Bin
The ash bin on many wood stoves may be removed from underneath the firebox, making it simple to remove the ash between fires.
We don’t have an ash bin on our wood stove, but if you want to use your fire for extended lengths of time, search for one with an ash bin.
12) Blower
If you want your stove to push heated air into your room, look for a wood burning stove that has a blower included or available as an optional extra.
Look for a wood burning stove with a blower included or available as an optional extra if you want your stove to force heated air into your room.
Best Wood Stoves In 2022 (Comparison)
1. Best Wood Stove Insert: Ashley Hearth AW1820E
Type:\sInsert
BTUs per hour: 69,000
75 percent energy efficiency
Heating Area: Up to 1,200 sq ft
Up to 12 hours of burning time
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Amount of Emissions:
Maximum Log Length: 18 in.
Dimensions (WxDxH): 20.2 x 27.2 x 22.4 inches
275 pounds is the maximum weight limit.
Price:\s$$$$
Rating:
Type:\sInsert
BTUs per hour: 69,000
75 percent energy efficiency
Heating Area: Up to 1,200 sq ft
Up to 12 hours of burning time
Xem thêm : How To Install Heat Shields Behind A Wood Stove?
Amount of Emissions:
Maximum Log Length: 18 in.
Dimensions (WxDxH): 20.2 x 27.2 x 22.4 inches
275 pounds is the maximum weight limit.
Price:\s$$$$
Rating:
Type:\sInsert
69,000 BTU/h of heat
75 percent efficiency in energy use
Heating Area:\sUp to 1,200 sq foot
Up to 12 hours of burning
The emission rate is not known.
Log Length: Up to 18 inches in diameter
Dimensions (WxDxH):\s20.2x 27.2x 22.4 inches
A 275-pound person can lift this.
Price:\s$$$$
Rating:
Type:\sInsert
The output of 69,000 BTU/h of heat
75 percent efficiency in using energy
Up to 1,200 square feet of heating area
Up to 12 hours of burn time
The emission rate is n/a.
Maximum Log Length: 18 Inches
This item’s dimensions are 20.2, 27.2, and 22.4.
A 275-pound person would be considered heavy.
Price:\s$$$$
Rating:
High efficiency has two primary benefits:
- Very little smoke is emitted from the device.
- The maximum burn time is an impressive 12 hours (average for a wood stove burn time is about 4h).
The 8-hour burn time is well regarded. In other words, you can start the Ashley Hearth AW1820E at 12 PM, retire to bed, and wake up at 8 AM and still have the wood fire warm your home.
Logs up to 28 inches in length can be used for the fire. There are 2.4 cubic feet of volume in the firebox, and it has a width of 21 inches.
When it comes to wood stove inserts that deliver on all fronts, Ashley Hearth AW1820E is head and shoulders above the competition. For a modest price, you may have a 69,000 BTU/h wood stove with good efficiency and low emissions.
- Wood stoves that are well-balanced tend to be the most efficient
- Wood-burning stove with an efficiency rating of 75% and a BTU output of 69,000
- Low levels of emissions
- 12 hour burn time; can be left on overnight.
- Ashley Hearth is a well-known brand with a reasonable price tag.
Cons
- A lot of the time, it’s unavailable.
2. Best Pedestal Wood Stove: Ashley Hearth AW1120E-P
Type:\sPedestal
68,000 BTU/hr of heat production.
Heating Area: 1,200 square feet and more
A 10-hour burn time is possible.
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Amount of Emissions:
Maximum Log Length: 18 in.
Inches, centimeters, and centimeters
A total weight of 259 lb is stated.
Price:\s$$$$
Rating:
Choosing the best wood stove is a simple matter of looking at all of the key factors. The Ashley Hearth AW1820E is the only wood stove that has ever done so well. Ashley Hearth is one of the top wood stove manufacturers, and this is their flagship model.
AW1820E is an exceptionally energy-efficient fireplace insert from Ashley Hearth. The wood stove, on the other hand, is the most energy-efficient method of generating heat from burning wood. Heat output is 69,000 BTU/hr, which is enough to heat most homes comfortably. Up to 1,800 square feet of heating space is available (with almost 30 BTU heating output per sq ft).
With an efficiency of 69,000 BTU/h, the Ashley Hearth AW1820E is even more astounding. More than 40% of the heat generated by burning wood might be wasted by wood stoves. The Ashley Hearth AW1820E has an efficiency rating of 75%, making it one of the most efficient wood stoves available.
- Very little smoke is emitted from the device.
- The maximum burn time is an impressive 12 hours (average for a wood stove burn time is about 4h).
The 8-hour burn time is well regarded. In other words, you can start the Ashley Hearth AW1820E at 12 PM, retire to bed, and wake up at 8 AM and still have the wood fire warm your home.
Logs up to 28 inches in length can be used for the fire. There are 2.4 cubic feet of volume in the firebox, and it has a width of 21 inches.
When it comes to wood stove inserts that deliver on all fronts, Ashley Hearth AW1820E is head and shoulders above the competition. For a modest price, you may have a 69,000 BTU/h wood stove with good efficiency and low emissions.
- Wood stoves that are well-balanced tend to be the most efficient
- Wood-burning stove with an efficiency rating of 75% and a BTU output of 69,000
- Low levels of emissions
- 12 hour burn time; can be left on overnight.
- Ashley Hearth is a well-known brand with a reasonable price tag.
Cons
- A lot of the time, it’s unavailable.
3. Drolet Escape 1500-I Review (Most Efficient Wood Stove Insert)
Type:\sHigh-Efficiency Insert
65,000 BTU/hr Heat Output (78 percent Efficiency)
Up to 1,800 sq ft of heating area
Duration of the burning process: up to six hours
The rate of emission is 1.26 g/h.
Maximum Log Length: 18 in.
It measures 26.5 x 36.25 x 32.25 inches.
Weight: 360 pounds
Price:\s$$$$
Rating:
This wood stove is the most eco-friendly and convenient on the market. Drolet Escape 1500-I It is the most efficient wood stove insert and is suitable for homes of typical size.
In most cases, installing an insert is far easier than installing a pedestal wood stove. The Drolet Escape 1500-I insert wood stove is a one-stop shop for all of your stove needs.
65,000 BTU/h of heat can be disbursed per hour. To have the best results, this should be utilized in a 500- to 1,200-square-foot section of a home.
It’s the most efficient wood stove on the market with a 78 percent efficiency rating. This means a significant reduction in the amount of wood burned, but that’s just the beginning.
Low emission rates and extended burn times are the primary advantages of a high-efficiency wood stove insert.
This model of the Drolet Escape 1500-I emits a record low 1.26 g/h of smoke. The EPA’s certification standard is 4.5 g/h, which is significantly higher. The 6-hour burn time allows you to leave it on overnight as well.
The product includes the 29″ x 44″ blackplate you’ll need for installation. You’ll also get the benefit of employing a high-quality blower that ensures that the heat from the wood burner is evenly dispersed.
Overall, the Drolet Escape 1500-I is an excellent choice for a wood-burning stove insert. Record-low emissions and a 78% efficiency rate distinguish this vehicle from competitors (eco-friendly). Furthermore, it’s one of the most visually appealing wood stoves around.
- Wood stove insert with the highest efficiency rating of 78%
- Lowest-ever 1.26 g/hr emissions of particulates
- Aesthetic appeal; it’s a decorative item for the home, and the blackplate is included.
- A heat output of 65,000 BTU/h is adequate for the majority of modern residences.
Cons
- High-quality Drolet materials contribute to the unit’s increased weight (360 lbs)
- An 18-inch log can replace a 22-inch log.
4. US Stove US1269E Review (Best High Efficient Wood Burning Stove)
Type:\sFree-Standing
54,000 BTU/h of heat output
Up to 900 sq ft of heating area
N/A Burn Time.
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Amount of Emissions:
Up to 19 inches in length.
33.3 x 22.2-25.8 x 25.7 inches
The heaviest I have ever weighed is 130 pounds.
Price:\s$$$$
Rating:
For decades, US Stove has been a household name in the hearth industry. The US Stove US1269E wood stove is one of their offerings.
Freestanding stove with a 130 lb weight capacity Despite this, it is capable of producing up to 54,000 BTU/h of heat. If you have a 900-square-foot area, you can use a wood stove from US Stove.
That’s a big difference from the Drolet Escape, which has a similar BTU output. Drolet Escape’s BTU output is a little higher, but its recommended area use is twice as large – 1,800 sq ft.
Up to 19″ logs can be loaded into the US Stove US1269E model. You can determine from the stove’s design (long horizontal dimension) that it can handle logs of this length. ‘
Overall, the US Stove US1269E can’t compete with today’s most advanced wood stoves in terms of performance. It’s small and the design isn’t the most artistic, but it’s quite inexpensive. US Stove US1269E is a low-cost and low-performance wood stove.
Pros
- Pros
- 19-inch logs can be fed into the machine.
- It’s a bargain.
Cons
- High-performance stoves aren’t they?
- Burn area and emission rates are unknown.
- Almost all metrics indicate that it falls short of the best wood stoves on the market.
FAQs
Wood-burning stoves, by their very nature, raise a number of concerns that have yet to be resolved. Here, we’ve attempted to address the most frequently asked questions:
What Is The Best Wood Stove On The Market?
When comparing the best wood stove models, we found that Drolet Blackcomb II is hands-down the finest.
The Drolet Blackcomb II exceeds all other top-rated wood stoves when spec-by-spec analysis is performed. It boasts an efficiency of 70%, a burn time of six hours, and low emissions.
Because of this, it cannot be utilized to heat large homes with more than 2000 square feet.
What Wood Stove Burns The Longest?
Between 2 and 6 hours can be the maximum burn period for a wood-burning stove. For example, the Drolet Blackcomb II has the longest burn time of 6 hours.
Firebox size, efficiency levels, BTU output, and other factors influence burn time. For the longest burn time, the best wood stoves use a well-balanced combination of these ingredients.
Where Is The Best Place To Put A Wood Burning Stove?
It is recommended that pedestal wood stoves be placed as close to the middle of the room as feasible. It’s important to keep in mind the realism of the situation as well.
In terms of energy and distribution, being in the center of the space is the most logical location. However, you can’t actually put anything there if that space is already taken.
When installing an insert wood stove, select a wall with the simplest chimney connection. Insert stoves tend to make us think practically. In theory, an insert wood-burning stove should be placed in the middle of the wall.
How Long Do Wood Stoves Last?
Stoves that burn wood have a lifespan of ten to twenty years. Breaking it down into two groups will help us better understand this wide range:
- Cheaper wood stoves last about 10 years. They usually have a lower weight-to-BTU ratio.
- About ten years is the average lifespan of the cheapest wood stoves. Their weight-to-BTU ratio is usually lower.
Remember that the principal cost of a 10- to 20-year-old wood stove is not the price of the stove itself, but rather the cost of the wood.
Can A Wood Stove Heat An Entire House?
We’ve been trained to believe that fireplaces can only be used to heat a kitchen. Even if that’s the case, modern wood stoves are rather different. In most cases, they can heat an entire house, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Larger wood-burning stoves are capable of producing more than 100,000 BTU/h of heat every hour. You can heat an entire house with that much fuel.
It’s A Wrap!
Hope this guide on choosing a wood stove helps you. If you’re planning on getting one for your home, utilize this as a reference. You can assure that you acquire what you need by doing this. See our guides on how to build a wood stove and how to put in a wood stove in a garage to learn more.
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